Losing It All
by Snow Phoenix
Summary: Matt Indreve and Vaila Rosewood are one of the most perfect couples at Hogwarts, or so it seems. But when cracks start appearing in their relationship, life doesn't seem so perfect after all. Rated for language. R&R please!
1. On Treefrogs and Toadstools

"Oh just change you stupid thing!"

The entire 5th year Transfiguration class looked around at Vaila Rosewood, who looked stressed enough to snap her wand in half.

"Miss Rosewood, shouting obscenities at your toadstool will have no effect whatsoever on its ability to turn into a tree frog," said Professor McGonagall, sound rather exasperated. "Kindly calm down and try again."

Vaila, her hand shaking, raised her wand and pointed it at the large, rather smelly toadstool that was perched on the edge of her desk. She uttered the spell and waved her wand, but once again, nothing happened. She put her head in her hands. Professor McGonagall sighed. 

"I think you'd better leave the class and practice it in your own time Miss Rosewood. You're in no fit state to practice it now."

"Fine," snapped Vaila, packing the toadstool and her wand back into her bag and stalking out of the class with a hurried, "see you later," to her friend Genevieve.

Vaila walked down the corridor, unable to think. Ok, so it had only been an extra revision class, but she'd never been asked to leave a class before. Now she had nowhere to go; two weeks before the OWLs started the Ravenclaw common room would be a riot of noise and colour as those who were not in revision classes would be practising for the practical side of their exams. The library would be packed with students frantically studying magical theory, and Vaila wasn't sure Madam Pince would let her in with a smelly toadstool anyway. Come to think of it, her bag was starting to smell now too. She grabbed the toadstool out of her bag and hurled it out of the nearest window, achieving nothing except giving a group of Hufflepuff first years quite a shock.

Vaila walked through the corridors to the Ravenclaw common room, resigning herself to an afternoon of trying to study amongst the racket made by 20 different spells, charms and hexes going off at once. Once in the tower, she curled up in a chair as far from the centre of the room as she could find and took out her transfiguration book, as she now had no toadstool to practice the spell on. Before long however, her mind was wandering. She wondered where her boyfriend Matt was and what he was doing at that moment.


	2. Discordant Harmony

"I'm telling you, it just doesn't work!" Matt Indreve yelled in exasperation. "Either you have to change that music or I have to alter the lyrics and I'm not doing that!"

"Well, that doesn't really give me much choice then, does it?" muttered Marco Faunter, picking up a sheet of music and a pencil.

Matt and Marco were close friends and had formed a band together a few months ago. They were in the middle of one of their usually productive rehearsals when the argument had broken out. Each boy took his music very seriously and it was extremely rare for fights to occur, but, as the fact that they were now sitting on opposite sides of the room, Matt behind the piano and Marco amongst his collection of instruments, showed even the best partnerships could have their moments.

"I'm sorry Matt, it just can't be done," said Marco after about 10 minutes. "That's why I changed it in the first place. The lyrics will have to be changed to fit around the music." Marco's usually calm and gentle nature appeared very strained as he desperately tried to avoid a fight.

"I'm not changing the fucking lyrics!" yelled Matt, standing up and sending several pages of handwritten notes flying to the floor. All traces of his usual sweet, slightly camp voice had vanished. "I wrote them specifically with someone in mind and I won't change them!" As Marco stared in shock, Matt stormed across the room towards the door.

"Matt, you can't just walk out in the middle of practice!" Marco said, raising his voice slightly.

"Watch me," snapped Matt as he opened the door and slammed it behind him.

Matt walked down a flight of stairs and stopped next to a painting of an extremely ugly old witch, who turned to look at him as he slumped to the floor. "What are you staring at?" he muttered to it.

He thought back over his fight with Marco. He probably shouldn't have flown off the handle like that, but he couldn't help it, he was very tense.

For a start, he had his schoolwork, the amounts of which he was being given were increasing by the day. He had to work for several hours every night just to get everything done. But that wasn't the only thing that was nagging at him.

Vaila, his girlfriend, had seemed really cool with him recently, almost as if she didn't want him handing around. Ok, so she had her OWLs coming up, but surely she could still spare some time for him? He wasn't asking for the world surely, just the chance to spend some time with his girl.

Matt sighed and leaned his head back against the wall, rattling the picture whose subject began yelling at him. It wasn't his fault, all this fighting, was it? He turned this thought over and over in his mind. No, it wasn't. It was everyone else with the problem. His teachers were setting too much work, Marco was being unreasonable and Vaila…

Matt decided it was time to go and see Vaila, to talk things through. He was going to go mad if he didn't.


	3. To Love and To Lose

The common room had begun to empty as the prospect of dinner lured the Ravenclaws away from their half transfigured tree frogs and smoking pink potions, and down into the Great Hall. Vaila however was still curled up in her armchair, now halfway through a chapter she'd managed to miss altogether about the dangers of performing switching spells on animals. She was so engrossed in the book that she didn't hear Matt come in. He walked slowly over towards her chair, and spoke softly, so as not to startle her.

"Vaila," he called. She looked up at him over her book.

"Oh, hi," she answered.

"Still reading?"

"Yeah, just found a load of stuff I didn't even know was in here, so I've got to catch up on that now."

Matt shook his head at Vaila. "You're panicking too much about these exams Vi," he said soothingly, his camp voice back in place. "How about taking a break and spending time in the company of your favourite Casanova?"

Vaila gave Matt a half pleading, half exasperated look. "I've really got to read this Matt, I'll never get through Transfiguration if I don't know it."

Matt dropped his head and his camp voice. "Look Vaila, you're far more intelligent than you give yourself credit for, and if you carry on panic-studying like this, you're going to burn yourself out. Just take half an hour and come down to dinner…"

Vaila cut him off. "Matt just drop it, ok? Maybe you goofed around throughout your OWLs but I'm not going to."

Matt stood up and took a step backwards. "What are you implying Vaila?"

"Nothing," she said sounding frustrated. "It's just that, well, you've got your NEWTs coming up, and you seem more concerned with spending time on your music than preparing."

"At least I'm actually doing something other than working myself into a stupor Vaila," snapped Matt, feeling his temper rising. Vaila got to her feet and slammed her book down on the chair.

"I know exactly what I'm doing," she snapped back. "I'm working hard so I can do my best in these exams, and I'm not going to let anything distract me."

"Not even me?" Matt's face had gone from tense and angry to shocked and pale. "Getting through these exams means more to you than I do?"

"Matt, it's not a case of what means more, this just has to take priority at the moment," Vaila snapped. "You know, like your music sometimes has to take priority over me."

"I never put my music before you!" Matt cried, the colour flooding back to his cheeks.

"Which is why you couldn't take me Christmas shopping in Hogsmeade?"

"We were playing at the Christmas ball Vaila, I had to practice!"

"And when I collapsed in Herbology – it took you three hours to notice I wasn't around!"

"I had no idea what'd happened, no one told me!" There was a quaver in his voice now.

"Face it Matt, there's other things in this world that have to come before our relationship, and if you can't understand that… well…"

Without finishing her sentence, Vaila stormed across the common room heading towards the stairs, furiously blinking back tears. Matt caught her by the arm as she went.

"What are you saying Vi?" he asked, his voice very quiet and subdued.

Vaila wrenched her arm out of his grip. "Maybe we're not Hogwarts' most perfect couple after all," she said quietly, and, turning her back on him, she walked off up the girls' staircase without a backward glance.

Matt sank into a nearby chair, his face pale, trying to work out where it had all gone wrong.


	4. As The World Falls Down

The Ravenclaw common room was as crowded and noisy as anyone had seen it that night. People were letting off lots of pre-exam steam, along with plenty of Filibuster fireworks, and the usually reserved Ravenclaws were as noisy as they could get away with being. Despite all the people present however, not one person noticed that two of the usual crowd were missing. A space on one of the sofas where they usually sat curled up in each other's arms was empty, and the air was free of the usual comments and jibes from the pair. However, the impromptu mini-party carried on, regardless of the fact that there were two broken hearts in the tower that night.

Upstairs in the 5th Year girls' dormitory, Vaila lay curled up in a ball on her bed, the hangings closed around her, shielding her from the rest of the world. Her pillow was soaked; she had done nothing but cry since running up here 2 hours ago. Tiredness came over her in waves, but she blocked it out – sleep was out of the question as she would surely be plagued by nightmares the second she closed her eyes, be forced to replay the scene over and over in her mind. But then, she reflected, she was doing that when awake.

The cuddly owl Matt had given her on her birthday was clutched protectively to her chest. His Ravenclaw scarf was draped around her shoulders – they had swapped scarves a few weeks ago and it still carried his scent. The photo of them, taken at the Christmas Ball that year, was in Vaila's outstretched right hand, and it was this that her tear-filled eyes were focussed on. They stood together on the stage in the Great Hall, waving at the camera, their arms around each other. It was the night he'd played his first gig to the other Hogwarts students. The night they'd laid out in the Hogwarts grounds under the stars. The night he told her he loved her.

And here they were, not even six months on. The relationship they had promised would last forever had been shattered, torn apart. Vaila reached into the drawer of her bedside cabinet and pulled out a small box containing a silver ring – Matt's birthday present. The inscription engraved on the inside of the ring simply read, "My love forever". The box fell from Vaila's hand as a fresh wave of tears overcame her.

*

Letters simply littered the bed closest to the door of the 7th Year boys' dormitory. Some were long, lengthy epics, others simply scribbled notes, but all contained the same handwriting and the same message. The blue ribbon that had tied the letters together now lay discarded on the bed as Matt leafed through them, occasionally pulling one out and reading it.

Vaila was always writing to him. Over the holidays when they were apart, in the evenings when Matt was doing his duties as Head Boy and Vaila was stuck in the Common Room, and even in the middle of the night when she couldn't sleep. Some arrived by owl post, some were tucked inside one of his textbooks or appeared surreptitiously in his bag. Each one made him feel special, wanted, loved.

But he didn't feel loved now. He felt stupid, pathetic, ashamed. How could he have lost his temper like that? His temper, which was usually used to protect Vaila, had been used against her. Sitting up at the end of his bed, Matt hit his head backwards against the wall in frustration. If, through his one moment of stupidity he'd lost her forever, he'd never forgive himself. He might as well hand himself over to Voldemort now and be done with it – that would be less painful that living without Vaila. And she probably wouldn't care if the dark lord finished him off – one less thing for her to worry about. One less heartache.

The dormitory door banged open and the other boys charged in. "Hey, Indreve!" one shouted. "Where'd you get to this evening?"

"Yeah," called another. "You missed a great party."

"You alright Indreve?"

Finally, one of them had noticed. One of them had stopped being so wrapped up in himself and actually noticed what someone else was feeling. Shame he couldn't have managed that earlier, then he might not have lost Vaila. 

Not that having someone else notice mattered of course; he would sooner discuss affairs of the heart with Peeves.

He quickly muttered, "Detergeo," and the letters swept themselves back into the bundle. He got up from the bed and walked to the door without a word or a backwards glance. He walked down the spiral staircase into the Common Room where he sat watching the last embers of the fire die before his eyes.

A light footstep on the stairs from the girls' dormitories made him look up. Vaila appeared in the doorway, her eyes fixed on him. He longed to stand up, to go to her, to embrace her and tell her that everything was alright, but he couldn't bring himself to. Despite his feelings for her, his pride was still severely bruised and he couldn't bring himself to say anything. Vaila held his gaze for a few more seconds, obviously hurt by the lack of emotion he showed, before turning and walking back up the stairs without another word.


	5. Avoiding The Issue

The following morning, the Ravenclaws were spreading the word. They had all seen Matt and Vaila leave separately for breakfast, and now that they were seated at opposite ends of the table in the Great hall, tongues were beginning to wag. By the end of breakfast, the entire school was talking about the split of Hogwarts' most perfect couple.

Vaila left the Great hall before the bell rang so she wouldn't get caught up in the crowds of people, all of whom, no doubt, would be asking her what happened. She really couldn't face talking about it – even the mention of Matt's name brought tears to her eyes. Matt. Gone. Out of her life.

She didn't have to think about him though. Didn't have to let him invade her every thought. She had class now, that would take her mind off things.

Damn. No it wouldn't. Vaila's first class of the day was Defence Against the Dark Arts taught by Professor Indreve – Matt's mum. Damn damn damn.

Vaila simply could not focus her mind in class. She knew she had her OWLs coming up, knew she had to concentrate, but there was only one subject her mind could focus on. If only she could take an OWL in the life of Matthew Indreve, she'd surely get an O no problem. But that would mean thinking about him.

Why did Matt have to look so much like his mother? For goodness sake, that could _be_ Matt up there teaching. Just slightly more feminine. She laughed to herself. Matt was so funny when he acted camp, putting on his funny voice and making himself out to be more feminine than his mother. But then there was his true voice. His genuine, deep, husky voice that he usually reserved exclusively for her. That sexy, powerful voice he had used when he told her he loved her. That he'd never leave her. That things would be the same forever…

"Vaila!" hissed Genevieve from next to her, nudging her slightly. The whole class was looking at her, including Professor Indreve.

"Did you catch the question Vaila?" asked Professor Indreve, looking slightly concerned. Vaila was suddenly aware of a small tear sliding down the side of her face. She brushed it away angrily.

"No Professor, I'm sorry, I didn't," said Vaila, sounding slightly ashamed.

Professor Indreve turned away, and proceeded to give the class a five minute lecture on the importance of alertness and reading the question in the exam. Vaila slumped down in her seat, her face burning trying desperately not to break down in front of the whole class.

*

Both Vaila and Matt were in the common room that night, but sat at opposite sides of the room, leaving their usual space on the sofa empty again. Roberto Faunter and Mayva Nichols were about to sit in it when Luna Lovegood shooed them away, apparently under the impression that, by keeping the sofa space empty, Matt and Vaila would be more likely to get back together.  Matt snorted at this idea. He couldn't see anything that would bring them back together now.

Roberto and Mayva came over to sit with Matt instead. Matt glanced over at Vaila, who quickly turned her head away from him, and focused on his two friends.

"How're you doing Matt?" asked Mayva sympathetically. "I'm sorry this has happened, I really am, you're such a great couple."

Roberto shook his head. "I hate to say it mate, but I saw it coming," he said, causing Matt to look highly puzzled.

"You did?"

"Yeah, Roberto continued, "it was obvious. You're both so stressed; it was inevitable this would happen eventually."

Matt raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Well, I'm glad someone knew it was going to happen," he snapped slightly. "Maybe next time you ought to warn me first?"

Mayva shot Roberto a 'stop talking now if you like being male' look, and turned back to Matt. "Ignore him. We just wanted you to know we're here for you, that's all," she said with a smile. "You need good friends at a time like this, and that's what we're here for."

"What about Vaila?" asked Roberto. "We're her friends too, shouldn't we be there for her too?"

"Well, you have to admit, it was mainly her fault," said Mayva, shooting Vaila a dirty look. "She dumped him."

"Well from what I've heard, Matt lost it with her, and it's no wonder she ran off," snapped Roberto back, raising his voice. "You've just got a thing against her because she used to fancy me."

"Probably still does," Matt muttered.

"Shut up Indreve," Roberto growled, whipping his head back round to face Mayva again. "You obviously haven't got a clue what she's going through over there Mayva, so why don't you just stay in your little fantasy world where everything is as you see it."

Matt turned away. He didn't think he could bear to watch the demise of another relationship. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Roberto get to his feet.

"If Matt's so blameless in all of this," he yelled at Mayva, "maybe you should look after him. Spend all your time with him. Cause you won't be spending it with me any time soon!"

Roberto stormed out of the common room. Turning, Matt saw Vaila running after him.

"Wow, talk about over-reacting!" said Mayva brightly, although Matt could see tears forming in her eyes. He stood up and headed towards the common room exit without saying goodbye to Mayva and headed outside into the corridor, unable to get images of Vaila and Roberto together out of his mind. He wasn't jealous or anything. After all, they'd split up. They were finished, over. So why did he want to run after her, to get to her before she found Roberto?

"Because you know what'll happen if she does," said a voice inside his head.


End file.
